Ezekiel 24:1-14

The pot to cook meat

1 The Lord gave this message to me on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year: 2 ‘Son of man, remember this day. Write it down. On this day, the king of Babylon is starting to attack Jerusalem. 3 Tell a story to these people who refuse to obey me. Say to them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says:

Put the pot on the fire. Put it there now.

Pour some water into the pot.

4 Put the pieces of meat into it.

Put in all the good pieces of meat.

Put in the leg and the shoulder.

Fill it with all the best bones.

5 Use meat and bones from the best sheep.

Put more wood on the fire under the pot.

Cause the water in the pot to boil well.

Cook the bones and the meat.

6 This is what the Almighty Lord says:

Terrible trouble will come to the city that is full of murderers!

It is like a pot that has become dirty.

Nobody has tried to clean it.

Take out each piece of meat, one by one.

No piece is special.

7 You can see the blood of people that men killed in the city.

It lies on the rocks where everyone can see it.

Those murderers did not leave the blood on the ground,

where dirt would hide it.

8 I have put the blood on the rocks where everyone can see it.

Nothing will be able to hide it.

When I see it, I am very angry.

I will punish the people of that city as they deserve.

9 So this is what the Almighty Lord says:

Terrible trouble will come to the city that is full of murderers!

I will put more wood on the fire to destroy it.

10 Yes, make a big heap of wood.

Make the fire burn hot! Cook the meat well!

Mix in some spices!

Let the bones burn.

11 Then put the empty pot on the coals of the fire.

Make the pot very hot, so that its metal is bright red.

Burn all the dirt to remove it.

Make the pot clean again!

12 Yes, I have tried to make it clean.

But the disgusting dirt is still there.

So throw the pot and all its dirt on the fire!

13 The dirt on the pot shows the disgusting things that you do. I tried to remove those wicked things to make you clean, but you would not let me do that. So I will punish you until I am no longer angry with you. You will not be clean until that happens.

14 I, the Lord have said what I will do. Now I will do it! The time for your punishment has come! I will not change my mind. I will not be kind to you. I will not be sorry for you. I will judge you as you deserve for the things that you have done. That is what the Almighty Lord says.” ’